I certainly engaged in the characters a lot. I feel like they've set them up really well. (And I laughed at the poor reversal.)
Whites Page 6
Andrew Billen gave the show 4 out of 5?
I'd give Dobby five (if giving her one five times counts).
I was disappointed with this. I like Alan Davies, but as Godot pointed out, he's a limited actor. In sitcom, that doesn't always matter - Ricky Gervais, Jack Dee and Larry David are all pretty limited - but this didn't play to AD's strengths at all.
Add to that a predictable script and pretty lame jokes, and you've got another series that will limp to the end of one series and be quietly forgotten. A sad waste of the talent involved.
'There has been a spate of top-notch dramas on television recently. After Shane Meadows' brilliant This Is England '86 on Channel 4, there is still Downton Abbey on ITV and Whites on the BBC.
They could scarcely be more different, and yet they all have qualities in common - most notably, the pre-eminence of character. The head chef, the sous chef, the restaurant manager and the apprentice in Whites are totally convincing and recognisable creations. It also happens to be very funny, but the humour is so understated and truthful that the line between seriousness and laughter has all but disappeared. Whites is a perfect example of the modern sitcom, whose lineage can be traced back to the gag-free honesty of The Office.'
- David Chater previewing Whites in Saturday's The Times' Playlist magazine.
This is either a) the deluded ramblings of a diseased mind, b) written for a bet, or c) the most subtle piss-take in the history of TV criticism.
If the above is a reasonable evaluation of the show, then I do apologise, I must have missed the fact that it was essentially mixing the superior qualities of The Larry Sanders Show and The Wire and applying these high standards to a sitcom about a chef with Alan Davies.
The keyword there is "preview". The number of times I've read a glowing preview of a show only to see it and wonder what the f**k they were watching.
Quote: chipolata @ October 2 2010, 10:41 PM BSTThe keyword there is "preview". The number of times I've read a glowing preview of a show only to see it and wonder what the f**k they were watching.
Well, this quote is from today's paper, previewing next week's 2nd episode. So either a completely different sitcom named Whites is starting next week, or he is apparently informed and sincere in his (frankly astonishing) opinions.
Quote: Tim Walker @ October 2 2010, 10:45 PM BSTor he is apparently informed and sincere in his (frankly astonishing) opinions.
My only hope now is that AA Gill's reviewing it in The Sunday Times tomorrow.
EDIT: 'AA Gill is away' - Boooo! 
(They didn't even review it. Which, by my logic, means that my review wins by way of default. 
)
I am disapointed I thought this thread would be for all us BCG racists.
Some of the characters were likable, especially DOBBY. Some of it worked. But most of it was awfully predictable. When the Sous chef entered the walk-in refrigerator, I said a little prayer to the comedy gods, hoping that he wouldn't get locked in. Sigh.
I've watched two episodes of this.
I didn't hear any jokes and I didn't laugh.
I don't like it.
It's a bad sitcom.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ October 5 2010, 11:04 PM BSTI've watched two episodes of this.
I didn't hear any jokes and I didn't laugh.
I don't like it.
It's a bad sitcom.
Hurrah! Thank God for common sense! 
*dances a little jig around F-Wing*
It wasn't hugely funny this week, but I laughed a couple of times, and enjoyed watching throughout regardless.
I am quite enjoying this.
I thought it was quite good too in a Dramody way.